Rotten thieves make it harder for all of us who need pain meds

In my area, a local, not chain, pharmacy got robbed twice in a week. The thief stole not cash, but OxyContin. It is not known if it was the same thief. A gun was used in both robberies. The local pharmacy has two stores. They will no longer be carrying OxyContin at either store because they feel it is too risky for their employees. Our local VA clinic no longer carries any pain meds in their pharmacy because of break-ins and drug robberies.

I don't take OxyContin. But the local people who do take it legitimately, because they really need it for pain, are going to have an even harder time acquiring their meds than they already did. Not to mention the increased negative social stigma surrounding pain meds!

There is an alternative way to look at the situation. What if the thief did not steal the pills for resale or because he is an addict? What if he is a person in horrible chronic pain who has not been able to get pain meds the legal way? What if he is so desperate that he has been pushed to this extreme to get some relief from his relentless pain?

Either way, I can see things getting more and more difficult for those of us who genuinely need pain relief meds on a continuing basis. I'm sorry but I don't see this situation other than being very bleak and getting worse.

Chris

I hear you, Chris. Many of our pharmacies quite keeping OxyContin and similar drugs in stock several years ago for the same reasons. What they do is order it in the day you take in a prescription, and have it for you the next day. You have to assure them that you'll pick it up the same day it comes in because they refuse (understandably) to have it in their stores other than during the hours they're open.

Honestly, it doesn't impact me because anything I take on a regular basis has to be mail ordered or my insurance company pays far less (which is another vent and gripe), but it makes me angry for all the lives being made so much more difficult.

Teri

crt,

i think the part of you that understands how bad pain effects a person's life leads to the question of why a person is doing this. it's possible--but these are felony thefts.

most likely, this is a slimeball user/dealer. using a firearm in the comission of these acts escalates things. now this person is really putting people in jeopardy.

i don't like pain meds because of side effects, but i have a couple prescriptions. when i do pick them up, i do so during normal daylight hours. nothing late, and certainly not during night hours.

Thankfully this has not impacted our area yet.

I'm sure it will be an issue at some point though.

What a shame.

Cindy

Several stores in my area have stopped carrying and Pseudophed(sp?) since it is used to make meth. My state already required ID and a signature along with limitations on the amount you can get. So the meth manufacturers just started stealing it from stores.

So one day I am cruising into work feeling like hell with sinus congestion. I stop off at only one of a couple stores that would have decongestants and was informed they no longer carry any decongestants since the meth maggots just steal all the decongestants whether they have pseudophed or not. I was not in a good mood and conveyed that to the store. Yes it gets stolen but they can use a safe to protect their cash and another to have needed meds for their customers.

I had to sign and show ID just to buy a bottle of gas tank drier since I was going over three mountain passes in the dead of winter. It to is used for meth making. This is totally insane how 99% of us have to deal with the consequences of a small group of criminals.

Fortunately all the local pharmacies still carry narcotic pain meds. Maybe it' because I am in such a rural area it has not become a problem yet.

It's encouraging to read about all the research and testing they are doing on non narcotic painkillers. They are showing some great promise at acting much better to block pain then the current meds do.

But that is still far off and we have to deal with right now. Once again as a group of people with chronic debilitating pain we have to protest and make ourselves and situations known publicly.